1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to security shades for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a support assembly for a security shade in a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many motor vehicles, a rear compartment or cargo area is provided for storing cargo. Also, motor vehicle manufactures typically provide a retractable security shade or panel that can be extended to cover the cargo area and prevent anyone outside of the motor vehicle from readily viewing what is disposed in the cargo area.
An example of such a security shade is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,052 to Wieczorek et al. This patented security shade typically includes a roller tube and a flexible fabric panel wrapped onto the roller tube. This patented security shade also includes a support assembly mounted to the ends of the roller tube which provides for both rotational biasing of the roller tube and mounting of the security shade within the motor vehicle. The support assembly includes an extension and a skirt having a diameter greater than the extension to house a motor spring. When properly mounted, the roller tube is not completely fitted over the extension and the skirt fits outside or axially of the roller tube.
Although the above security shade has worked well, it suffers from the disadvantage that the support assembly is not compact axially. Also, the support assembly has a skirt axially outside the roller tube which results in the panel having a gap or space of approximately fifteen millimeters (15 mm) between it and a side of the cargo area.